From Regina’s journal while walking the Appalachian Trail

August 13 STICK IN THE MUD
A section of the trail was very muddy yesterday.  Here’s what happened. For an hour or so, I successfully rock-hop, keeping my feet dry. Then, Slip! My left toes sink into three inches of water. Now, I’m partially resigned to having wet feet and surrendering to the mud. Slip! My  right toes  dunk into the brown soup. My shoes are both coated with mud. I can give in. It’s easier, after all, to simply walk through the mud, rather than hop gingerly from stick to stick and rock to rock. read more

From my journal August 8, 2015.

It was so much fun entering Baxter State Park as a familiar visitor! John worked here last year and I visited for most of three months, so we know the staff here! Views of “the mountain” welcome us like a wise old friend. The peaks and  the silhouette spark memories in my mind that ripple even in my body, calling me to another arduous climb to the rocky summit. What a thrill to feel at “home” in the shadow of Mt. Katahdin!

In 2014, I watched the mountain change over three months and made this slide show. read more

Packed and headed out to the AT later today. It may be a week before I can post again on the southern side of “the Hundred mile wilderness”- 100 miles without resupply. (Some hikers have Paul Renaud at AT Lodge drive in on logging roads, but we’ll go through it with our 20lbs of food to share.) I love reading your comments and questions and can answer when I get to Monson!

We started with THIS! Above

and ended with THIS: two packs.

Sometimes, in my nomadic lifestyle, I do yearn to go “home”. I imagine there’s a place where all my familiar, totally at ease with just how I like it things are. Home is where I have total freedom to express my preferences and where I can sink in to a relaxation of rest and groundedness. Home would be a starting point for a next adventure and a landing place for the last one. It would contain the motherlode of creative supplies, gear, workshop space, books, journals, all stored beautifully and easily accessible.
Home. read more

I saw this post from one of my friends and wanted to pass it along to my readers. She’s having a tick of a time and shared this in hopes of enlightening the rest of us! Thanks Julie!

From Julie Burroughs, ‎Trail Dames

May 28, 2015
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Hi everyone! Just a word of caution to always check for ticks and do what you can to prevent them from getting on you in the first place. I want to share what is happening with me, in hopes that it may help in some way. On Monday Morning, I found and removed a tick. By that evening, I had developed a large rash at the bite site. By early morning Tuesday the rash had worsened, I had a severe headache, and was nauseated and had chills. Since I am already immuno compromised, I didn’t take any chances and headed in to see my Dr., who preliminarily diagnosed me with a tick born illness other than Lyme. Possibly Ehrlichiosis Or STARI. He did blood work and put me on doxycycline which is the treatment for Lyme as well. According to my GP, Lyme is virtually non existent in Georgia although a quick internet search, offer lots of differing opinions. I had no idea that ticks could cause at least 14 other diseases besides Lyme and pose such serious health risks. Please read up on what you can do to prevent tick bites in the first place. If you do get bitten, and If you develop a rash or fever within days or several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick. read more

“ It is so very easy to continue on in the path we’ve chosen. It’s much easier. To change and do something out of the norm requires trust, faith, bravery. To defy what society tells us, especially as women, requires an even stronger will. Of all people, I should not be planning a long distance hike. I live on a very small fixed income. I have numerous physical/medical challenges, and my body is not in good shape. HOWEVER, I refuse to make any more excuses or reasons to not follow my dream. I refuse to wake up one day and wish I did something different. There are many things we cannot change, but our thinking is totally up to us. Everything else follows.”
-Diane Gilmore Saunders read more